Philatelic Glossary
This glossary has been compiled from various different sources. Some of the terms have been reproduced with kind permission from the Stanley Gibbons Philatelic Terms Illustrated by James Mackay. If you think a term is missing please e-mail us.
Name Tablet
That part of a key type in which the name of the country is inserted.
Napier Perforation
Perforations from machines constructed by David Napier & Sons, Lambeth.
Native Paper
A paper produced locally from native products.
Naval Mail
Mail from ships of navies of various countries.
Ne Pas Livrer le Dimanche
(French) Do not deliver on Sundays (q.v Dominical Label).
Network
A security pattern printed on stamp paper usually before the stamp designs are printed.
New Issue Service
Where a dealer agrees to supply and a collector agrees to pay for all new issues of a chosen country(ies).
New Year Stamps
Special stamps to commemorate the New Year.
Newspaper Stamps
Stamps for prepaying postage on newspapers.
Newspaper Tax Stamps
Impressed or adhesive stamps for the prepayment of tax on newspapers and periodicals.
NH
Never Hinged.
Nightrider
Special overnight parcel delivery service of Royal Mail.
Nippon
(Japanese) Japan.
Non Value Indicator Stamp (NVI)
Term used by Royal Mail for a stamp which bears no monetary amount but shows the postal service provided.
Numeral Cancellations
Obliterations which incorporate numbers as means of identifying the office of posting.




